Snowden and WikiLeaks Clash Over How to Disclose Secrets

They may both support the dissemination of government secrets, but Edward J. Snowden and WikiLeaks seem to disagree on how best to do it.

On Thursday, Mr. Snowden, the former government contractor who released a trove of National Security Agency documents and now lives in exile in Russia, credited WikiLeaks, a clearinghouse for similar disclosures, with furthering the cause of transparency but also criticized its unfiltered approach.

His words prompted a swift and cutting reply from WikiLeaks, which had once come to his aid.

Mr. Snowden, it suggested, was trying to ingratiate himself with Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, just days after WikiLeaks had released embarrassing emails showing that Democratic Party officials had derided the campaign of her main rival in the primary, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

WikiLeaks is often criticized for releasing documents without editing or regard for the sensitive information they may contain.